The Rock
by Tearsheet
Summary: Hermione and Snape have been working together for years. Can an incident with a Portkey change everything?


**A/N: **I haven't written anything in months on end, so I'm just trying to get back into the swing of things here. Reviews are appreciated, as always. Hopefully some of you will enjoy it!

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It certainly wasn't her finest hour, standing stranded on a rock in the middle of a lake, looking for all the world like a drowned rat, but it was ten times worse when Snape appeared with a thunderous crack. He didn't look much better, actually, which softened the blow - until he opened his mouth.

'What the bloody fuck were you thinking? Grabbing hold of an unregistered Portkey?' he yelled, spittle flying out of his mouth.

'I was thinking it was a lead!' she snapped back, unable to curb her tongue. 'Don't be such a prick!'

'Yes, let's resort to name calling,' was the disdainful answer. 'Very mature, Granger.'

'I don't give a damn about maturity. I'll call you what I'd like, you pompous arse.'

'As if you're nothing more than a jumped up little swot who thinks she's smarter than she really is,' he hissed back.

'I am smart! You'rejust jealous I beat your OWL _and _NEWT scores!' Hermione shrieked. 'Oh, if I had my wand...'

'Well you don't, because for all your supposed intelligence, you managed to get yourself stranded in a rainstorm, on a rock, with no _fucking _wand, because you wanted to be the one to catch the Lestrange's, didn't you?'

'That is patently untrue,' Hermione sniffed, turning her head away. 'We haven't had a lead for months, and when the Portkey showed up in my mail tray, I thought it might have been them. Setting a trap, you know.'

'So you latched on to it, with your wand resting on your desk, not even a word to me, your _partner, _even though I was seated not five feet away from you,' Snape arched his eyebrow and crossed his arms.

'Yes, because you would have been _so _supportive.'

'I would have grabbed my wand, at the very least.'

'Bugger off,' said Hermione through clenched teeth.

'Gladly,' he replied, taking a large step away from her.

'No!' Hermione grabbed his arm desperately, and he turned back slowly with a decidedly evil smirk.

'Bastard,' she sighed, rubbing her eyes. 'Can you just get us both off of this rock?'

Snape held his arm out stiffly, and she grabbed his elbow, gripping as tightly as possible. One short and suffocating Apparition later, the pair stood dripping water all over the hardwood floor of their office in the Department for Magical Law Enforcement. Hermione shook her head, scattering water droplets all over Snape and his desk.

'Was that necessary?'

'Yes,' she responded primly.

'I'll take you right back to that rock and leave you,' he snapped.

'Ah, but who would do all of your research?' muttered Hermione, lighting a fire. 'God forbid you do any.'

'Let us not forget who does all of _your _paperwork,' said Snape.

'Yes, well, we have a mutually beneficial arrangement despite your intense dislike for me. I must admit, I'm surprised you even bothered to come after me,' she said absentmindedly fiddling with the small dish of Floo powder on the mantle. 'Especially since you thought it was the Lestrange's, I'm sure you would have enjoyed the headlines the next day if they had killed me. "War Hero Dead After- ah!' she shrieked as Snape grabbed her and spun her to face him, his fingers digging into her upper arms.

'Is that what you think of me?' he said, his eyes searching her own. 'That I'd like to see you dead?'

'No! Of course not, I was being...rude,' Hermione winced at her admission. 'And insensitive, I know you don't like me, but that was uncalled for.'

'And what makes you think I don't like you?' Snape asked quietly.

Unable to help herself, Hermione laughed in his face.

'We fight like cats and dogs. You degrade my intelligence, my friends - you have no respect for me or my abilities. And as an added bonus, you think I'm hideous.'

Snape swallowed thickly, and his grip on her arms tightened.

'We fight because you are, unfortunately, just as stubborn and opinionated as I am. Your friends are idiots, and I will not apologise for saying so, or for reminding you on a daily basis. As for your intelligence - I will not pretend I've never insulted it. But I am a disagreeable man with a temper, and you, Granger, have a remarkable knack for setting it off.'

Hermione's mouth had gone dry, and she was unable to tear her gaze from Snape's face. His eyes were fixed on a point somewhere above her head and she thought of asking him to loosen his grip, but he looked as though he were in great pain. Perhaps he was sick - why else would he be saying such things?

'You are... an excellent Auror. An excellent _partner. _And you aren't hideous, you daft bint. I think you are...'

'Yes?' Hermione said, feeling lightheaded. She was rather concerned by the shade of green he was turning. 'Snape, are you feeling alright?'

'No, I'm not,' he snarled. 'I think you're beautiful Granger. Beautiful, and infuriatingly clever and I'd very much like to be able to tell you as much without you _interrupting _me, but since you can't seem to keep that pretty mouth of yours closed for more than two minutes, it seems I won't be able to!'

Pressing a hand to her mouth, Hermione met his gaze and her stomach swooped at the heat of his gaze. She turned her head slightly, unable to bear the unrestrained emotion on his face. She'd never seen so much from him, not in all the time she'd known him, and a surge of affection and longing flooded through her.

'I've said too much,' he muttered, and made to step back but her hands shot forward, seemingly of their own accord, and grasped his forearms.

'You impossible man,' Hermione gave him a shaky smile and looked up into his face 'You can't even compliment a woman without insulting her in the same breath.'

He lowered his forehead to press against hers, lips a breath away from her own.

'May I kiss you?'

'Thought you'd never ask.'

Lips that so often spat insults were surprisingly soft. She opened her mouth slightly and he took advantage, capturing her bottom lip between his teeth and tugging gently, sending a shiver up her spine. She moved her hands up his back, clutching at the soaked wool of his jacket. Severus growled, low in his throat and she slid her tongue against his. He tasted like tea and mints, warm and inviting. Hermione wanted to explore every part of him, run her tongue across the sharp edges of his collarbone, drag her heels across the backs of his legs, rest her hands on his cheeks, play with his hair. His left hand came to rest on her neck, and she arched against him, ready to let him take her then and there, when the door to their office flew open.

They jumped away from each other, but not fast enough. A stunned Ronald Weasley was staring with his mouth wide open.

'Hermione?'

'Close your mouth Ron, it's impolite,' she replied primly, smoothing her trousers against her legs.

'You were just snogging Snape!'

'I was-' her cheeks turned red, and she was ready to hex him when the redhead whooped in excitement.

'I've just won 50 Galleons!' He cackled, rubbing his hands together. 'Dawlish is going to be _furious_.'

And he left, leaving a perplexed Hermione and a smug Snape in the middle of the room.

'He's going to tell everyone,' Hermione said quietly. 'I hope you won't be angry.'

'Normally I would be, but it saves us the trouble of explaining things to anyone. Not to mention I have more important things to worry about right now,' Severus purred. 'Would you care to accompany me to dinner?'

'Or we could skip that part entirely and go to my flat. I've leftover Thai takeaway and a new bottle of Ogden's.'

'Perfect,' Snape said and she grinned and took his hand, wondering if he could be persuaded to skip dinner entirely.


End file.
